New research reveals that women with significant obesity in pregnancy are three times more likely than others • Dr. Raz Hagoel: "Pregnancy is not a disease, but obesity - yes"
Pregnant woman // Illustration photo: getty images
Pregnant women, who were overweight before becoming pregnant, are 1.6 times more likely to die, and women with significant obesity are three times more likely to be at risk, according to a study conducted in France.
The researchers examined and analyzed 364 deaths of women during pregnancy and childbirth and compared the data to 14,681 births from the French birth database.
The researchers examined the relationship between pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and maternal death.
According to the findings, about 4% of the women who died during pregnancy and childbirth were underweight, about 48% were normal weight, about 25% were overweight, about 13.5% of the women who died were obese and 9.5% were obese. From severe obesity.
When the researchers compared the control group, they found that the risk of mortality in overweight women was 1.65 times higher than in normal-weight women.
Also, the risk of mortality of women with obesity is 2.2 times, and of women with severe obesity is 3.4 times.
The more common causes of mortality among women with obesity during pregnancy and childbirth were cardiovascular disease, venous thrombosis, complications of hypertension and stroke.
"Obesity is a disease"
Researchers at the University of Paris examined all the medical records of the women who died, as well as the quality of care.
According to their findings, the proportion of obese women who received poor treatment was similar to the proportion of women who received poor treatment and were at a normal weight (57% vs. 56%).
However, after examining the medical records of women with obesity, the researchers found that 40% of those women received poor treatment regarding the causes of obesity.
Studies have determined that physicians need specific training for women with obesity during pregnancy to prevent unnecessary deaths.
They also recommend treating overweight before getting pregnant and training doctors to better monitor pregnant women who are overweight or obese.
The study was published in the International Journal of Obesity.
"Pregnancy is not a disease, but obesity - yes," says Dr. Raz Hagoel, director of the Center for the Treatment of Obesity.
Today there is a wide range of tools - including pharmacological treatments - that can help obese women lose weight.
The descent process should be accompanied by a multidisciplinary team, while supervising and medical monitoring. "
